If the above is true, does that mean they may not be going to the Auto Train?
Nothing's certain yet. But internal discussion has been leaning toward the Auto Train. As for the brakes being overhauled, that's news to me.
Not true. If the P40s are kept captive to the Auto Train and Florida pool, it would simplify service requirements. Then only Ivy City, Lorton, Sanford, and Hialeah would need to have any qualifications on their mechanical specifics. Having them roam the system makes less sense then running them captivity.
Having been stuck in a Viewliner roomette more than once, due to the flimsy design and tendancy to wear of the original door hardware, I for one am glad they went back to the traditional, foolproof Adlake "hook and pin" design.
Funny thing is, I prefer the Superliner because it does NOT have a sink and toilet. I personally hate having those in such a small room. The toilet requires privacy if you are with someone and the sink just makes a mess with it spraying everywhere. I also find the bed less comfortable with the dent in it to make room for the toilet/sink.
And how the upper bunk is the same a the lower one, and thus wider then that on the Superliner?
I don't agree- first of all this is Amtrak we are talking about so whatever they may or may not end up doing may make sense to somebody but probably not us.
I disagree. First, P40s are just that. They can't be just like P42s 'in every respect' and thus have their own maintenance requirements / needs. So, to be most efficient, you would want to maintain them at as few locations as possible. So it makes total sense to make them captive to a relatively small region and/or route.
Does that include spending a million bucks or so to replace the prime mover? Seriously. They look the same, but they are different as night and day under that skin. Only the chassis is similar. The P42 is a Dash-9, the P40 a Dash-8, for one thing.
But again, that is not practical at all. It's like saying we should rebuild an 727 to be like a 737. I'll give you that a P40 is more similar to a P42 than a 727 is to a 737, but you get my point. To rebuild a P40 just like a P42, you would have to in essence build a brand new P42.
I don't believe that they are night and day different under the hood but I'm no expert. I'm sure there are plenty of similarities, they were re-geared for 110mph and 4200 hp previously if I'm not mistaking.
Woooh! GML in talking sense shocker!
I have to agree. The Viewliner roomette is the easy winner, for all the reasons you mention. I'll add one more, ceiling height. Because of that, you can lower the upper buck, and still have lots of headroom for the two seats below.
What we do on the Viewliner, is the other roomette mate, goes for a walk. Good excuse to stretch you legs and check out the rest of the train.
I am not that sure if the goal is to rebuild both a 737-200 and a 737-700, that one couldn't rebuild them to both use the same jet engines. Also, if they can rebuild a shuttle with totally new avionics (switch to a glass cockpit, amongst other improves), I bet one could upgrade a 737-200's avionics to state-of-the-art too (just might cost a bit).
Except that there are no public toilets on a Viewliner thus you have to go to the lounge or coaches and those bathrooms can get pretty nasty. Not to mention someone going right next to where you sit and sleep.BTW, it is far easier to not use the toilet in the Viewliner roomette if it really bothers you, than the "go" in a Superliner roomette.
No airline in its right mind with any business sense will ever attempt to rebuild a 737-200 into a 737-700. It is probably cheaper to sell the 737-200 in secondary market or junk it depending on the number of cycles it has gone through and buy a new 737-700s than to go through the exercise of fixing a new wing on a 737-200, which is what will be needed to change it into a 737-700, even before you deal with getting it new engines and new avionics and new everything else practically. Maybe the unused ashtray in the cockpit could be re-used
.
Rumor has it that the new Viewliners will be built with no toilets in the roomettes and with 2 shared toilets per car.Except that there are no public toilets on a Viewliner thus you have to go to the lounge or coaches and those bathrooms can get pretty nasty. Not to mention someone going right next to where you sit and sleep.BTW, it is far easier to not use the toilet in the Viewliner roomette if it really bothers you, than the "go" in a Superliner roomette.
One can't replace the jet engines in a 737-200 without also fixing new wings on it too? I didn't know that. Must have been designed in Detroit!No airline in its right mind with any business sense will ever attempt to rebuild a 737-200 into a 737-700. It is probably cheaper to sell the 737-200 in secondary market or junk it depending on the number of cycles it has gone through and buy a new 737-700s than to go through the exercise of fixing a new wing on a 737-200, which is what will be needed to change it into a 737-700, even before you deal with getting it new engines and new avionics and new everything else practically. Maybe the unused ashtray in the cockpit could be re-used
Wonder where they would fit them?Rumor has it that the new Viewliners will be built with no toilets in the roomettes and with 2 shared toilets per car.Except that there are no public toilets on a Viewliner thus you have to go to the lounge or coaches and those bathrooms can get pretty nasty. Not to mention someone going right next to where you sit and sleep.BTW, it is far easier to not use the toilet in the Viewliner roomette if it really bothers you, than the "go" in a Superliner roomette.
